Matt Tunseth

“What a beautiful day,” said Gen. Robert Brown, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, who was in town to preside over a change of command ceremony for U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK).

Taking the unit colors under a dazzling blue sky Wednesday was Maj. Gen. Mark O’Neil, who has served as Brown’s chief of staff since May of 2016. O’Neil takes over for Maj. Gen. Bryan Owens, who is retiring from the Army after 34 years of service.

Lyndon Thomas has always been a daredevil. As a teen, he said he once flew his hang glider from the Chugach Mountains to Chugiak High School.

“Everybody thought I was 007,” he said with a laugh.

That was back in the late 1970s, when Thomas and a few of his buddies were just getting into the new sport. Back then, they’d launch from a spot near the old Wallace Homestead overlooking Chugiak and Eagle River.

One of the last surviving Blockbuster Video locations has rented its last movie.

Workers on Wednesday, June 28 said the Eagle River location in the Carrs mall in downtown Eagle River is going out of business. Wednesday was the last day customers can rent movies. Starting at noon Thursday, everything in the store — from DVDs and Blu-Rays to posters, Pocky sticks and soda — went on sale.

Sen. Dan Sullivan took time June 19 to honor a giant of Chugiak-Eagle River with a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Sullivan recognized Lee Jordan as his “Alaskan of the Week,” singling out the local community leader for his work to support Alaska baseball through his commitment to the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks Alaska Baseball League team.

“He and former State Senator Bill Stoltze, a good friend of mine and another huge booster of baseball in Alaska, hatched a plan to get a team to their area as part of the Alaska Baseball League,” Sullivan said.

Cyclist Alex Ippoliti was riding with his friend, James Fredrick, on a road near Clunie Like on base Saturday morning when they heard some rustling in the bushes. Ippoliti said they slowed down, but weren’t overly concerned with the noises.